Saturday 29 September 2007

Fireworks

As well as the Christmas stuff already on sale, it looks like the fireworks have also been readily available. The rockets have been going up and off in and around my area for the past week. Not quite sure if the young scientists have actually worked out that not only can you hear them, but if you wait until dark before you set them off, you can also see them. Then again they are probably at home doing their homework at night ..... so their parents would like us to believe....

Thursday 27 September 2007

iPod Sock

Ordered a leather case from eBay for my new iPod 80GB Classic. It will take about 5 to 10 days for delivery. So what am I going to do to keep it from getting damaged before the case arrives. A colleague of mine suggested I buy an iPod sock, available in most well known high street electrical stores. I had a thought, I'll use a grumpyhead sock, available from most bedside drawers in my bedroom and at no extra cost ..... it works a treat.

Wednesday 26 September 2007

How Heavy Is A Box Of Crisps

The van left the big crisp castle in Trandragee early morning in time to get to the shops to catch the morning school traffic and block the footpath. I was going for the bus for another excitement fill day at work when I had to change my traditional route because this big van parked on the footy.
OK, I appreciate the old delivery van thing, get as close to the delivery shop as possible, but this is ripping the tail end out of it. How heavy can a box of cheese and onion really be. Look at the space available and this clampet decided to park on the footpath ..tut tut.

Monday 24 September 2007

Learn Road Rage From A Pro

I'm not sure on this one, but they may be bringing in road rage training for new drivers. I was driving along Howard Street when this car (Driving instructor) forced his way out of Upper Queen Street with what can only be descried as aggressive driving. I then noticed him change lanes and then try to get in front of an Translink bus by cutting him up, unlucky though the bus wasn't for stopping. As the bus stopped at traffic lights the car then went further up and made sure he was getting in the lane with more aggressive driving by blocking the bus, as you can see by the photo his lane discipline is also lacking. I was sitting at the same traffic lights when I noticed the driver getting out of the car and shouting the odds at bus driver..... So if you want to learn the finer art of road rage that's the driving school to contact .....

Saturday 22 September 2007

Titanic key is sold for £90,000

A tiny key that might have helped prevent the Belfast-built Titanic sinking has fetched £90,000 at auction, according to the BBC News Website today. It's an interesting story, apparently the key opened the binoculars store. Some officer had left the ship with it in his pocket and the ship left Southampton without it. The crew had to rely on the naked eye for observation. I was wondering how big an ice berg has to be before it's visible to the naked eye?, something for sure though, £90.000, I bet the auctioneer didn't need binoculars to see the buyer coming...

Friday 21 September 2007

Emergency Services

After another road rage free trip into work on the bus, I was walking up Donegal Place when I observed a fire appliance with the blues on (Flashing emergency lights) parked outside Boots the chemist. No sign of the crew apart from the driver who was sitting in the cab people watching. People were going about their everyday business, ignoring the fire engine and without a care in the world. I was wondering if it was a party wagon or perhaps Boots have a 3 for 2 offer on ..... I'll watch the news tonight.

Thursday 20 September 2007

Public Transport

It makes a nice change to leave the the old environmentally damaging car at home and get the bus to work. Sit down, put the ear phones in and watch a bit of video on my new 80Gb ipod classic (Thought I mention the ipod) I have to say it started great as the bus pulled up, doors opened and a lady driver saying good morning, what a change from the usual grunt I would normally receive from the male drivers. A nice steady drive into town, leaving any road rage that had to be had to the driver. The only downside was the ignorance of a passenger (Young adult) who just sat down and feet and backpack straight onto the seat in front. (It was raining, so his kebs were wet) I pointed out to him (in a polite manor, after I'd taken the photo for the blog) that other people had to sit down on the seat his wet feet were on. He put his feet down, got up, lifted his bag and moved to another seat ..... Result

Wednesday 19 September 2007

Bike Idiot

This young biker is an accident waiting to happen. Yesterday on the Ballysillan road while we were keeping to the speed limit he decided we were not going fast enough and seeing there was approaching traffic, he undertook us on the inside. What an idiot. I did not smudge out the number plate this time, so if you know him have a quite word in his ear, and hand him a copy of the highway code.

Tuesday 18 September 2007

Turning Right

I know so many people who need to be refreshed about the art of turning right at road junctions, especially when turning from the main road. The following was taken from the good old Highway Code (Remember it)
In a nutshell, move to the centre of the road at the point you intend to actually turn right. GOT IT.

Monday 17 September 2007

Paranormal Egypt

Did anyone see "Paranormal Egypt" on one of the satellite channels last night. Starring Derek Acorah and Tessa Dunlop, what a load of camel dung it was. (In my opinion)
First of all D&T are on the outside of one of the pyramids. T asked D could he sense anything. So he put both his hands against the pyramid and he said he could feel loads of energy as if it was a site where many many men laboured 24 x 7, get away Derek, really. My old history teacher must have been physic as he told me the same thing when we were studying egyptian pyramids. They then ventured inside the pyramid (are you scared yet) and climbed to the queens chamber. D said he could detect an unknown smell before entering, the next camera shot was D actually entering the chamber from the outside. (There's your answer of the smell anyway, the cameraman) He looked around the chamber and announced he could feel the sense of Royalty, get away Derek, really in the queens chamber. Then onto the kings chamber where Derek came under some kind of trance and climbed into an empty sarcophagus. Through his trance he mentioned that some ancient Egyptian called Khufu used to reside in the sarcophagus (I thought he'd asked for coffee to be honest) All a bit scary. While all this is going on T keeps asking the question "Where's his mummy, where's his mummy" With her being blonde I wasn't quite sure if she was asking about his mummified remains or his ma .....

Sunday 16 September 2007

It's A Sin


Had cause to visit a church yard near Lisburn today. Just had to take this photo. Church members even show disregard for disabled parking, heaven help us all.

Friday 14 September 2007

Sat Nav

As I had said in a previous post, my wife and daughter are going to a big scary castle on a ghost searching trip with the NIPS ( Northern Ireland Paranormal Society) The trip is tomorrow. I was quite taken aback when I was asked by my wife for the lone of my Garmin Street Pilot navigation system ......
I thought a spirt guide would have shown the way?

Thursday 13 September 2007

Did You Hear The One About ......

I read an article on the BBC News website, about a Northern Ireland man who got into hot water over Irish jokes?
It brings to the front the ridiculous way in which people go out of their way to be offended on behalf of others. I have to admit, I don't tell Irish jokes myself ... but did you hear the one about the two Mexicans called Paddy and Seamus ..........

Tuesday 11 September 2007

Proof Of Global Warming


Someone sent me this photo of global warming, has it really gotten to this stage.
I wonder when the photo was taken? I'm sure it wasn't taken this year anyway.

Monday 10 September 2007

Christmas Has Arrived (@ Tesco's)

Took her indoors to Tesco's at Newtownabbey. As soon as I walked inside I was met with shelves full of selection boxes, further down the store came the shelves with all the Christmas puddings stacked on them.It's now Monday the 10th September, that makes it only 105 shopping days til Christmas. Perhaps the Easter eggs will be out on display around November?

Sunday 9 September 2007

Sunday in Kent

Had a long sleep in and was awakened with the sound of Horton Kirby church bells chiming, what they were playing is anyone's guess. After a humongous full English, William and I took Tia, a beautiful springer spaniel for a walk in the nearby Westminster fields. The weather was warm and sunny. Back to the house and packed our bags. Headed back to Gatwick for our return flight home. What a fantastic weekend we had.

Saturday 8 September 2007

Admiral Duncan

Headed down into Soho to the well known bar The Admiral Duncan. It made me think of what home was like 20 years ago, as I was searched going into the place. A good night tho.

Le Gavroche

Le-Gavroche is the ultimate in dinning. I still cannot find words to describe the experience of the night. It was an incomparable experience. The finest food I've ever tasted, the staff, everything about this restaurant oozes with class. (Yes they did let me in) You must visit their website, better still visit Le-Gavroche and you will see what I mean.

(Thank you Karen)

We Will Rock You

Headed in to London to catch the musical "We will rock you" A musical by Queen and Ben Elton. It was at the Dominion, it is a must see for all Queen fans. We had gone to the afternoon show and were seated in the eighth row back. The row in front was empty and I heard a grumpy looking lady who was sitting in the 6th row say that the music was too loud and hurting her ears. She said she was going to move at the interval, she did, to the row behind her. Must have been at least a hundredth of a decibel less. Good thinking missus.

Friday 7 September 2007

Horton Kirby (Part Two)

Horton Kirby is a sleepy Kent village where my friends live. It is the centre of the universe, close to everything. After my friends William and Karen collected me and my good lady at Gatwick we had the 40 minute journey to HK. Dropped off the luggage then out to lunch at The Rising Sun, a local pub. It had the best pint of Guinness I have tasted away from Ireland, and whats more it's the first time I've seen it poured properly outside of Gods country.
Another local hostelry we visited was Hilltop, met up with some new friends, great food and great craic was had by all.
What a wonderful place.

Gatwick Flight

Early flight to Gatwick with Flybe had a bad start. When I originally booked online I paid for one bag (luggage, before the wise cracks come in) but being me I deiced to take two small bags. The lady at the check in desk said I have to pay for another bag so off I went. £18 I had to pay for the return trip of the bag, so remember to book it online. The flight was on a BAe 146 operated by another airline with spanish crew. Seat configuration of 2 & 3. The pilot announced that there was a delay of 15 minutes due to air traffic control in London. So we sat on the tarmac for 25 minutes without another thing being said, pushed out and taxied to the end of the runway, full throttle with the brakes still on, when he took the brakes off I nearly went into the row behind me. The safety brief was something to see, I could have done it better, the worst one I've ever seen. Then one of the flight attendants announced no electronic devices to be used at all during the flight, I asked another is it OK to use my ipod once the seat belt signs are turn off, oh yes was the reply ...... I thought, tell yer mate will you.

When I Was A Lad

When I was a lad (as the saying goes) going away for a weekend break needed no packing as such, as long as you had a change of clothes, clean undies, tooth brush and soap was enough to see you over the weekend. Now days the first things I seem to organise is, fully charged mobile phone, digital camera, camcorder and ipod, then I start thinking about the rest.
How times have changed.

Thursday 6 September 2007

Almost Haunted

My wife and daughter will be going on a ghost busting mission soon and spending a night in a big scary haunted castle. I was thinking, there may be scary things closer to home, who knows?.

Wednesday 5 September 2007

Young Art

Never say to a young person "Draw me" My two wonderful niece's Jane and Katie had drawing pens and were drawing everyone, so it got to my turn. Unfortunately I cant find the drawing Katie had done (I think it got turned into a paper plane somewhere along the line) but I can share Jane's drawing with you. I thought at first it was a digital photo of me ...... what do you think?
At least I got a star and a babe sticker ...... There was a film out called babe, I think it was about a pig ...... Nah they wouldn't have thought of that angle, or would they?

Tuesday 4 September 2007

Downpatrick

Can't wait until I can get down to Downpatrick to get a photo of the new statue. I was watching BBC Newsline tonight and they had a news item about it. Apparently it depicts Saint Patrick. To me it looks like someone has lifted my wrought iron gate, melted it down and made a bad attempt at reshaping it. Think I caught them saying it cost in the region of £18000. Some girl was saying "People will know when they get to the statue that they are in Downpatrick" I was wondering, whats wrong with a big 12 x 16 sign saying DOWNPATRICK, only cost's a fraction of the price. The best line in the item fell to a young lady who said "Its a bit like the Angel Of The North only it's a different type" Yes I do believe she was blonde.

Sunday 2 September 2007

Pit-bull

Pit-bull's and alike have had a lot of bad press. I have to say in my opinion owners have a lot to answer for. Attacks by these dogs or any dog for that mater are the responsibility of the owner and in most cases the owner could have done more to prevent attacks happening. I was shocked today to see a young boy of about 11 years of age taking a pit-bull type dog (very muscular) on a lead. The dog was pulling on the lead and the boy was frantically trying to control it, with very little success. What were the parents thinking of, letting a boy of such an age take such an animal for a walk. If anything would have happened there is no way a child like that would have been able to control such a situation.
Sorry no photo, you'll just have to take my word on it

Saturday 1 September 2007

Hoover

"Aggggghhhhh the hinge on the washing machine door has just broken " was the call from my good lady. "Don't panic" I replied as parts carry a 5 year warranty. They do BUT (I hate it when there's a but) the parts must to be installed by a recognised engineer and here's the deal .... you pay for the engineer. (which is from £60 upwards I believe, and you have to wait on a time that suits them) I don't think so.
My good lady called a place that sell genuine Hoover parts and they had a hinge to suit the model, price:£10. Went and collected the part, unscrewed six screws and removed the broken hinge, attached the new hinge replaced the screws and hey presto it's ready to go. Total time around eight minutes... and I only charged her £20